Foundry flask

ABSTRACT

A foundry flask which may find utility in machines which produce flaskless molds includes four walls with vertically extending pins interconnecting the walls at diagonally opposite corners, such pins including a tapered portion cooperating with tapered bushings on one of the adjoining walls so that vertical movement of the pins will separate the tapered portion and bushing, permitting resilient spacers to separate adjoining walls to facilitate removal of a mold from the flask.

0 United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,766,970 Hatch 1 1 Oct. 23, 1973 1 FOUNDRY FLASK 974,983 11/1910 McHugh 164/390 24, 1 1 Kl k 164 39 [75] Inventor: Edmond K. Hatch, Brecksvllle, 926 l 953 I 3 Qhi FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 7 918,592 9/1954 Germany 164/389 3] Ass'gnee' T 's 'gg bgg cimpany 1,189,678 3/1965 Germany 164/393 A viii-Implied! WWW/V; IT-1971i; n W Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin [21] APPL No; 194,582 Attorney-Donnelly, Maky, Renner & Otto Related US. Application Data 3215x313; Ser No 856,034, Sept 8, 1969, Pat No ABSTRACT A foundry flask which may find utility in machines [52] U.S. Cl. 164/392 which pr uce fl kless m lds includes four walls with [51] Int. Cl. B22c 21/02 vertically extending pins interconnecting the walls at [58] Field of Search 164/393, 391, 390, diagonally opposite corners, such pins including a ta- 164/389, 388, 377, 374, 384, 394, 395, 396, pered portion cooperating with tapered bushings on i 392; 249/165 one of the adjoining walls so that vertical movement of the pins will separate the tapered portion and bush- [56] References Cit d ing, permitting resilient spacers to separate adjoining UNITED STATES PATENTS walls to facilitate removal of a mold from the flask.

2,590,720 3/1952 Mayer 164/392 3 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 2,611,162 9/1952 Ernst et al. 164/392 PATENIEDUBI 2 3 I973 SHEET 10F 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

PAIENIEII UN 2 3 I973 SHEET 2 [IF 2 I I 46 I FIG? FIG. 6

| vzzw- 22 FIG. II

FIG. IO

FIG. 9

FIG. 8

I oz o 6 4 4 4 4 C 2 ZMMI w 9 M OZI 0 64 42MMMM 9 M 9 M N 3 02 O 564 I 442 MMMM L 9 .I 4 w G /,6 l LM FIG. I4

FIG. I3

FIG. I2

FOUNDRY FLASK This application is a division of Ser. No. 856,034, filed Sept. 8, 1969, entitled Foundry Molding Machine with Means to Alternatiely Index Cope and Drag Flasks between Molding and Closing Units, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,268.

This invention relates generally as indicated to a foundry flask and more particularly to a flask which may find utility in machines for producing flaskless molds.

Flaskless molds are highly desirable since they avoid a substantial investment in flask and flask handling equipment. To be effective, however, flaskless molds must be of uniform high hardness and density which is believed by many to be accomplished only by jolt and high pressure squeeze. Also, to be economical a foundry molding machine producing flaskless molds should be able to produce a great many completed molds per hour. By completed molds it is meant molds which are assembled, cored and ready for pouring.

While this can be accomplished with certain types of match-plate molding machines as seen for example, in Miller et al U. S. Pat. No. 3,589,432, there are complexities in match-plate molding that make it difficult to achieve economical mold output with a low cost machine.

It is accoridngly a principal object to provide flask for a foundry molding machine which will produce flaskless complete molds having the desired uniform density and hardness at a highly economical rate.

Another principal object is the provision of a special drag flask which will automatically open to permit the drag mold easily to be deposited on a bottom board or pallet.

A further object is the provision of a foundry flask which may find utility in machines which produce flaskless molds includes four walls with vertically extending pins interconnecting the walls at diagonally opposite corners, such pins including a tapered portion cooperating with tapered bushings on one of the adjoining walls so that vertical movement of the pins will separate the tapered portion and bushing permitting resilient spacers to separate adjoining wallsto facilitate removal of a mold from the flask.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG.1 is a top plan view of the flask;

FIG.2 is an end elevation partially broken away and in section of such flask taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; FIG.-:

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the flask taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4 through are schematic illustrations showing the sequence of the closing cycle of a machine utilizing such flask.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the flask D includes the oppositely directed trunnions 122 and 123, the latter being provided with keyway element 124. Aligned with and above the trunnions are laterally displaced outwardly projecting guide pins 190 and 191. Such pins may engage the pattern plate supporting a plattern precisely positioning the pattern with respect to the flask.

The drag flask D is basically a rectangular structure which includes four walls 193, 194, 195 and 196. The walls 193 and 194 are rigidly secured together at the corner 197. Similarly, the walls 195 and 196 are rigidly secured together at the corner 198. As seen more clearly in FIG. 3, such walls are slightly tapered and provided with internal liners 199. A wear strip 200 is provided around the top of the flask.

Such walls are flanged top and bottom as indicated in FIG. 3 and include bottom extensions forming fill frame 201. The bottom extensions for the walls 193 and 194 are rigidly joined at the corner 198.

However, the walls and their lower extensions are hinged together at the corners 203 and 204 by the spring loaded taper pins 205 and 206, respectively. Such hinge construction is seen in more detail in FIG. 2.

The wall 196 includes vertically spaced annular hinge knuckles 207 and 208 in which are secured flanged bushings 209 and 210, respectively. The wall 193 in cludes hinge knuckle 211 situated between the hinge knuckles 207 and 208 of the wall 196. Tapered bushing 212 is secured in the hinge knuckle 21 1 of the wall 193. The pin 205 includes a reduced diameter upper portion 213 projecting through the bushing 209, a tapered portion 214, an enlarged diameter portion 215 forming a shoulder for compression spring 216, and a reduced diameter lower portion 217 projecting downwardly be- 1 are positioned between the hingedly connected walls and when'the hinge pins are seated in the bushings, such blocks will be slightly compressed. When such pins 205 and 206 are driven downwardly compressing the springs 216, the spring blocks 220 and 221 will force the connected walls 195 and 196 away from the connected walls 193 and 194 thus openingthe flask.

The flask D is also provided with projections seen at 223 and 224, the top and bottom of each being provided with stop buttons as seen at 225 and 226 adapted to engage trunnion stops shown in phantom lines at 227 and 228 which may be mounted on a turret frame. A counterwieght 229 ensures that the flask will remain in its correct position on such trunnion stops. The trunnion stop buttons 225 and 226 are, of course symmetrical with respect to the trunnion axis. The underside of the falsk D is also provided with buttons seen at 230 and 231 adapted to engage buttons 184 on the tops of the flask lifting pin 176. In an automatic machine the flask D may be a drag flask and a cope flask C may be of similar construction properly to engage the lifting pins of flask table seen in FIGS. 4 15 but need not be provided with the special hinged opening features of the flask D. v

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 15 in an automatic machine, while the cope mold 241 is being made, the drag mold will be stripped from the drag flask D and positioned on bottom board 142. FIG. 4 illustrates the start of the closing cycle with the drag mold 24 on index arms at the closing station. Moving to FIG. 5 the flask table 140 is elevated with the pins 175 through 178 contacting the drag flask. The pins with the holes in the tops thereof fit around the downwardly projecting ends of the taper pins 205 and 206 of the drag flask but do not actuate such mechanisms, there being provided sufficient clearance between the bottom of the holes and the projecting ends 217 of such taper pins.

In FIG. 6, the mold table 141 is elevated with respect to the flask table 140 to contact the underside of the drag mold 240 with the bottom board 142. The drag flask D with the drag mold 240 therein is now supported both by the flask table and the mold table.

Referring now to FIG. 7, both tables 140 and 141 move upwardly until the pins 46 engage the tops of the taper pins 205 and 206 moving the taper pins downwardly compressing springs 216. This opens the drag flask stripping the mold 240 fromthe drag flask D.

A seen in FIG. 8, the mold table 141 now descends with the drag mold 240 on bottom board 142. The drag flask D is maintained opened until the drag mold 240 has cleared the flask and now both tables descend. As soon as the pins 46 disengage the taper pins 250 and 2060f the drag flask, the flask recloses and further lowering of the falsk table 140 repositions the drag flask D, now closed, on the arms of an index turret frame as seen in FIG. 9. With the flask table 140 and the mold table 141 now down as seen in FIG. 9, the top surface or parting line of the drag mold is approximately 3 1% feet above the floor so that the operator may conveniently place cores therein. The drag mold may be in such position for approximately 7 to 10 seconds while the molding of the cope is completed.

The index turret frame is actuated to replace the cope flask C with the cope mold 241 therein at the closing station while the drag flask D is inverted and positioned in the molding station when the cope mold 241 is completed and the pattern drawn therefrom. This initial condition of the closing cycle is seen in FIG. 10. In FIG. 11, flask table is elevated with the pins contacting the cope flask C. In FIG. 12, the mold table moves up with respect to the flask table the relatively short distance to close the drag mold 240 on the cope mold 241. I p

In FIG. 13, both tables move up now simultaneously. The top of the cope flask C is provided with apertures 243 permitting the cope flask C to bypass pins 46. When the top of the cope mold 241 engages stripping head 45, the cope mold 241 is retained while the cope flask continues upwardly. This strips the cope mold from the cope flask as seen in FIG. 13. The mold table 141 may yield during such stripping. As seen in FIG. 14, the mold table now is lowered a relatively short distance and in FIG. 15, both tables are moved to the down position with the now closed mold on the bottom board 142. The empty cope flask C is set on the arms of the turret index frame. In the FIG. 15 position. the

closed mold 240, 241 is pushed out of the machine and a new bottom board is placed on mold table 141. When the push-off has retracted, the cycle will repeat. During the stripping of the cope mold and the closing as seen in FIGS. 10 through 15, another mold is being produced in the drag flask.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A flask for producing foundry molds compirsing four walls, vertically extending' pins interconnecting such walls at diagonally opposite corners, means responsive to vertical movement of said pins to open said flask to facilitate stripping of the mold therefrom, said pins including a tapered portion cooperatin with a tapered bushing on one of the adjoining walls, and spring means operative axially to urge said tapered portion into said tapered bushing.

2. A flask as set forth in claim lincluding spring means responsive to the separation of said tapered portion and said tapered bushing vto separate adjoining walls.

3. A flask as set forth in claim 2 wherein said last mentioned means comprises resilient spacers between adjoining walls at said pins.

* i t III 

1. A flask for producing foundry molds comprising four walls, vertically extending pins interconnecting such walls at diagonally opposite corners, means responsive to vertical movement of said pins to open said flask to facilitate stripping of the mold therefrom, said pins including a tapered portion cooperating with a tapered bushing on one of the adjoining walls, and spring means operative axially to urge said tapered portion into said tapered bushing.
 2. A flask as set forth in claim 1 including sprIng means responsive to the separation of said tapered portion and said tapered bushing to separate adjoining walls.
 3. A flask as set forth in claim 2 wherein said last mentioned means comprises resilient spacers between adjoining walls at said pins. 